Orange County · Projection
Orange County is not one rule. Each coastal city runs its own program, and in most of them the number of short-term rental permits is closed or capped. A projection here starts with the permit, and for homes that already hold one, with what happens to it if the home is sold.
Step one
A mailing address that says Newport Beach or Laguna is not proof the parcel is inside that city. Confirm the jurisdiction from the parcel, then find its door below.
Closed to new rentals
Anaheim does not permit new short-term rentals. Laguna Beach no longer allows them in its R-1, R-2 and R-3 districts, though permitted units there continue as legal nonconforming uses. New Laguna rentals are limited to certain commercial and Downtown districts, with a 300-unit city-wide cap.
Capped, with a waitlist
Newport allows short-term lodging only in its R-1.5, R-2 and RM zones and caps active permits at 1,550. It is not issuing new permits now and keeps a public waitlist. Dana Point caps permits at 115 in the Coastal Zone and 115 outside it, with 60 for non-primary homes outside it, and a waitlist once a cap is met.
Narrow routes
San Clemente allows rentals in certain mixed-use and multi-family zones, or as on-site-managed apartment rentals, neither aimed at an ordinary detached house. Huntington Beach allows hosted, owner-occupied rentals city-wide, but whole-home rentals only in Sunset Beach.
Step two
Where permits are closed or capped, an existing permit is part of the home's value, and each city treats it differently when ownership changes.
Casago's Orange County team manages about 60 homes, most of them in Newport Beach and San Clemente. Each projection is built for one address and one permit, with every assumption labeled.
Step three
| City | Short-term means | Costs the City publishes |
|---|---|---|
| Newport Beach | 30 consecutive days or less | 10% TOT. Permit fees rose on July 1, 2026: $649 initial, $607 renewal. |
| Huntington Beach | 30 or fewer consecutive nights | 10% TOT plus a tourism district assessment. $639 application for two years, $332 renewal each year. |
| San Clemente | 29 or fewer consecutive days | $140 one-time zoning permit and $105 annual operating license, or a $536 apartment-rental permit. |
| Laguna Beach | Licensed short-term lodging | 12% TOT plus a 2% tourism district assessment, reported quarterly even with no rentals. |
| Anaheim | 30 days or less | Existing permits only, with a three-night minimum stay. |
Educational, not legal or tax advice. Confirm the rules for your parcel with your city or the County.
Not right now. The City caps active permits at 1,550 and says no new permits are being issued until the count falls below that. It publishes a waitlist.
No. The City says permits are not transferable, and a change of ownership needs a new application within 14 days.
No. Some homes with a city mailing address sit in unincorporated Orange County, which has its own rules. Confirm the parcel's jurisdiction first.
Orange County
Send us the address and your local Orange County team will confirm the city, the permit and what it is worth to the projection. Prefer to talk? Call (949) 803-8353.
Casago Orange County, a DBA of Acme CA Vacations, Inc. California DRE #02439360. Michael Flannery, Designated Broker.
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